Substrate processing apparatus and transfer positioning method thereof

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus has a transfer mechanism arranged on a transfer base and configured to transfer a processing substrate between predetermined transfer positions, a mapping sensor arranged on the transfer base and configured to detect an arrangement state of a processing substrate inside a processing substrate accommodating case which accommodates a plurality of processing substrate in a shelf-like form, and a Z-axis teaching jig provided on or in the vicinity of one of the transfer positions. This substrate processing apparatus detects, by the mapping sensor, a height of the Z-axis teaching jig so as to perform teaching of Z-axis to the transfer mechanism with respect to the one of the transfer positions.

1. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:
 a transfer mechanism arranged on a transfer base in a transfer chamber and configured to transfer a processing substrate between predetermined transfer positions; 
 a mapping sensor arranged on the transfer base and configured to detect an arrangement state of a processing substrate inside a processing substrate accommodating case which accommodates a plurality of processing substrates in a shelf-like form; and 
 a Z-axis teaching jig protruding inside said transfer chamber and provided on or in the vicinity of one of the transfer positions, 
 wherein said mapping sensor detects a height of said Z-axis teaching jig so as to perform teaching of Z-axis to said transfer mechanism with respect to the one of the transfer positions. 
 
   
   
     2. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a detecting sensor configured to detect a difference between heights of said mapping sensor and a support member supporting a processing substrate of said transfer mechanism. 
 
   
   
     3. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said Z-axis teaching jig has a detachable structure. 
   
   
     4. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 ,
 wherein said mapping sensor comprises a light emitting element and a light receiving element, which are arranged to oppose each other with a gap in a horizontal direction; and 
 wherein a height of said Z-axis teaching jig is detected by blocking of light between the light emitting element and the light receiving element by said Z-axis teaching jig when the light emitting element and the light receiving element are moved up and down. 
 
   
   
     5. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 ,
 wherein the transfer positions are a positioning device which performs positioning of a processing substrate and a load lock chamber for transferring the processing substrate into and out of a vacuum chamber. 
 
   
   
     6. A transfer positioning method for a substrate processing apparatus which comprises a transfer mechanism arranged on a transfer base in a transfer chamber and configured to transfer a processing substrate between predetermined transfer positions, and a mapping sensor arranged on the transfer base and configured to detect an arrangement state of a processing substrate inside a processing substrate accommodating case which accommodates a plurality of processing substrate in a shelf-like form, the method comprising:
 providing a Z-axis teaching jig protruding inside said transfer chamber on or in the vicinity of one of the transfer positions; and 
 detecting by the mapping sensor a height of the Z-axis teaching jig so as to perform teaching of Z-axis to the transfer mechanism with respect to the one of the transfer positions. 
 
   
   
     7. The transfer positioning method for the substrate processing apparatus as set forth in  claim 6 , further comprising:
 detecting a difference between heights of the mapping sensor and a support member supporting a processing substrate of the transfer mechanism. 
 
   
   
     8. The transfer positioning method for the substrate processing apparatus as set forth in  claim 6 ,
 wherein the Z-axis teaching jig has a detachable structure, and the Z-axis teaching jig is attached when Z-axis teaching is performed and removed after the Z-axis teaching is completed.